Cooking a sirloin steak under the broiler is a great way for those who do not have or want to use a grill to enjoy a well-cooked steak. The first step to broil sirloin is to let the meat rest until it is room temperature, and then to preheat the pan on which it will be cooked. Timing the cooking process will help you to cook the steak to your desired doneness, and letting the steak sit for several minutes before cutting into it will help to ensure that the meat is juicy and flavorful.
The first step to broil sirloin is perhaps one of the most important: you must let the meat sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes prior to cooking it. Placing cold beef on a hot pan or in a hot oven is one of the most common mistakes that people make when cooking. Beef, when exposed to extreme temperature changes, constricts, causing the meat to toughen and ruining the natural texture of the steak. Once it is not cold to the touch, you can then broil sirloin. You can season the meat as you want prior to letting it rest or after it is at room temperature.
Just as you never want to cook a cold steak, you don’t want to place it on a cold pan. The temperature difference will not only change the texture of the meat, but it can also make it cook unevenly. Once the sirloin is at room temperature, preheat the pan on which you will cook it. If you are using a skillet or other oven-safe pan, you can preheat it on the stovetop or underneath the broiler at high heat for four to five minutes. If you are using a broiler pan or other cooking sheet that will not fit on the stovetop, you can place the pan underneath the broiler for four to five minutes. The oven rack should be as close to the broiler as possible for this step and also to broil the sirloin.
Place the sirloin on your preheated pan and put the pan underneath the broiler. The cooking time when you broil sirloin will depend on the thickness of the steak and the actual heat of the broiler. For an average sirloin, you will want to broil the steak for five minutes on one side and four minutes on the other for medium rare. In general, you can achieve the best results by using a meat thermometer: 145° F (62° C) is medium rare, 160° F (71° C) is medium, and 170° F (76° C) is well-done.
For the perfect steak, remove the sirloin from the oven when it is slightly below the temperature that you want it. Let it rest for five to 10 minutes prior to cutting into it, as this will allow the steak to finish cooking gently on its own. Cutting into a steak just after cooking it also causes the juices to run out. Letting it rest gives the juices time to settle.